Things to Do in Gonzalez

Since its humble beginnings on Tomahawk Landing in the '70s, Adventures Unlimited has been reconnecting city dwellers and outdoors enthusiasts to the natural world through paddle-powered river trips, exhilarating ziplining flights, and team-building rope courses. Its staff of nature lovers young and old find their niche in the lush woodlands surrounding Coldwater Creek, with its robust ecosystem of hawks, turtles, and fish, as well as sasquatches disguised as hawks, turtles, and fish. When adventurers tucker themselves out with day trips into the wild, they can settle in for a long haul at Adventures Unlimited's selection of cabins and campgrounds.

Destin Parasailing whisks aquanauts on a variety of adventurous expeditions on the scenic waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Chartered deep-sea fishing trips cast lines for snapper and grouper and include a fishing license for the day, and jet ski and pontoon boat rentals are available. Destin Parasailing’s captains hold certification from the United States Coast Guard, and the company’s fleet of CWS boats is checked daily to ensure it exceeds all Coast Guard safety regulations.

Olin Marler's Charter Fishing & Dolphin Cruises dispatches its robust fleet of boats from Destin Harbor on dolphin cruises in the Gulf. Narrated dolphin cruises ferry large groups, such as bachelor parties and flash-mob reunions, into the Gulf's waters throughout the day aboard glass-bottom boats with names such as Miss Florida and Hannah Marie.

The rumble of rolling spheres serves as a baritone harmony to gleeful shouts at the seats that surround Oops Alley's gleaming lanes. Bowling shoes glide against the wood as patrons take turns knocking down pins in competitions to earn the highest scores or disprove a law of Newtonian physics. Karaoke nights put visiting lungs to use, and a variety of other events lures bowlers away from vendettas with their wooden nemeses. An arcade fuels between-frame score settling with Guitar Hero and Dance Dance Revolution machines that ooze digital melody near a bank of pool tables. A full bar and concession stand whets whistles, and a big-screen television stands tall, waiting to broadcast important athletic competitions or the winner of the Fred Flintstone look-alike contest.